Are you a visual learner or an auditory learner? Visual learners learn best when information is presented in a written format or as visuals. They also remember information by creating pictures in their mind. Auditory learners on the other hand grasp information faster during lectures and class discussions. They read aloud or talk things out to gain better understanding of a subject. Each one of us learns best in our preferred learning style. Discover what style works best for you by taking a learning assessment test at www.how-to-study.com. The site also offers tips to improve study skills through a list of articles.

Written by two experienced US-based educationists Charles T. Mangrum and Stephen S. Strichart, the articles tackle several issues that students face every day at school and college. A common challenge for most students is maintaining concentration while studying. For, learning without focus is like trying to fill a bucket with water when the bucket has a hole in its bottom. According to Mangrum and Strichart, students should select a quiet place to study with no distractions. They also suggest that students should maintain a study schedule and learn at a time they feel is best suited to them.

Writing all the important aspects from the teacher’s lecture in class can be a daunting task. Mangrum and Strichart have devised a three-stage process of taking notes before class, during class and after class. They suggest that students should review previous notes to remember what the teacher had taught before the class. During the class they should grasp signal statements that cover important aspects of the lecture, use abbreviations and place question marks wherever they are unsure. After the class compare notes with classmates to ensure that no vital information was left out.

The website has several such insightful articles that tell students various ways to learn, innovative techniques to remember what they studied and improve how they learn in class. The articles are grouped into seven categories. The main sections on the website are college, language arts, maths, note taking, remembering, studying and taking tests.

Effective time management, good studying habits, benefits of group study, increasing reading fluency and setting goals while learning are some of the key topics featured in the section on studying.

Remembering what you learnt for a test or in class can be tricky sometimes. Students tend to forget important dates and formulae. In the section on “remembering”, the site makers suggest using acronym sentences and flash cards to recall what you learnt faster.

Once you improve your learning habits and remembering strategies, the acid test is your performance in the annual exams. In the “taking test section”, Mangrum and Strichart advocate the Deter (directions, examine, time, easiest and review) strategy to help you get better grades. They recommend test takers to first read all directions before attempting the test, then review the paper according to levels of difficulty and attempt the easiest questions while keeping an eye on the clock. Find several study tips listed by students themselves on the site to get clues about what works for your peers.

A section on college offers handy information about admission essays and how to choose the right college. Polish grammar skills with the articles in the language arts category. Learn more about mathematics terms, measurement units and roman numerals in the maths category.

Since early school days we all develop studying habits guided by our teachers and parents. Through howtostudy.com you can improve your current learning techniques or unlearn those study habits that were not working for you. The website lists practical ways to help you make the best of your classroom learning and ace your performance in exams. The website is suited for students of all ages.

The content on the website is short and crisp. It is presented mostly in bullets and follows a tip-based format making the articles easily comprehensible.

Although there are not many visuals, the website gets away with a neat design and attractive colours.

A great site to bookmark except for the fact that there are no links where students can ask queries and directly connect with the site makers.

Fast facts

WHAT IS it?

A portal that offers tips to improve study skills through a list of articles

address

www.how-to-study.com

Downside

There are no links where students can ask queries and directly connect with the site makers